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Book Review: Silence (Silence #1) by Natasha Preston

Description: For eleven years, Oakley Farrell has been silent. At the age of five, she stopped talking, and no one seems to know why. Refusing to communicate beyond a few physical actions, Oakley remains in her own little world. […]

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Disclaimer: Review contains spoilers

What really drew me to this novel was the blurb description I was so intrigued with how and why a young girl would stop talking. I officially started reading this a year or so ago on my iPad but due to the lighting on my iPad I found it difficult to concentrate on ebooks without getting headaches. But since I’ve invested in a Kindle I decided it was finally time to finish this novel (starting back at the beginning).

If I’m being honest I felt like I reading this for the sake of reading it mainly because I wanted to know what had happened to Oakley. Throughout the novel she gives us a few hints here and there when certain moments trigger her memories. I thought I had figured out what happened to her I knew her dad was involved somehow, and in that retrospect I was right.

The romance was so cliché it got a bit annoying at points. Them being together but not together officially was annoying. Like damn make your minds up already. It was very obvious from the get go that they were going to get together at some point during this novel. And spoiler alert they did. The romance was okay but like to be honest the sex and the amount of lovey doveyness was unnecessary at points. I started to get the vibe that Oakley was using Cole as an escape for whatever had happened to her in the past.

I think I had been at least all of the characters, minus the dad, whilst reading this novel. I had been Cole when Oakley’s mum was trying to get Oakley to talk, I had been Oakley’s mum when it got to the point that her being silent and not revealing anything got annoying. At points I think I was Oakley in a way that certain things in life have made me go silent (obviously not as bad as her situation). I think the thing that annoyed me the most was the fact that she didn’t text back. Like I understood why because Cole would ask her questions about her not talking but like you can always just ignore that text right?

I definitely think Oakley’s mum could have been better at dealing with Oakley’s silence I know she was just trying to be the best mother she could be and try and help her daughter but everything she was doing was trying to “fix” her daughter. What if Oakley didn’t want to speak again? What if Oakley was generally happy with the way she lived now? I’m guessing she was doing what any parent would do (unlike her father).

There were moments in the book where I noticed the sentences didn’t make sense, like the editing was poorly done. I had to read over quite a few sentences and figure out what exactly it should’ve said, which I think is really bad on the editors behalf.

The reveal doesn’t happen until pretty much near the end of the novel. But when it does this book starts to become what I wanted it to be at the beginning. I couldn’t put it down until the last page. The minute her dad asked Oakley to go on a trip I knew that it wasn’t going to end well. I definitely predicted that she was going to phone Cole but the way everything came out wasn’t how I expected or predicted. And I’m so disgusted with Oakley’s father and I really hope he goes to prison for what he allowed to happen.

What did confuse me was how much she talked after everything was out in the open I would’ve thought it would have taken her longer to adjust back to speaking and getting used to her own voice again. She’s been mute for what eleven years? I think Oakley should have gradually got back into her speaking rather than have it so full on. I know it was necessary for her to talk to the Police as well as tell her family, and Cole what had happened when she was younger but I think after that someone who had just revealed so much personal stuff would close back in on themselves before they can truly begin expressing themselves again.

For someone who didn’t really enjoy the romance I was bawling at the end of this novel. Cole had been there for Oakley thick and thin and he didn’t try to change her. Yet, I know she had to because if it was me I definitely couldn’t live in that house either, she just dropped him like he was nothing. They had a sad goodbye but she was more eager to get out of the country than say a proper meaningful long goodbye to her boyfriend who waited for her, loved her, and will probably even wait for her.

I’m honestly torn about reading the next novel or not, mainly because I’m glad I didn’t have to pay for this one. But I also want to find out what happens in the Trial and if Cole and Oakley ever get back together or even see each other again. Plus I want to see more of Oakley getting back to a new normal.